They make an intense duo. Kishori Amonkar, the tempestuous high priestess of Indian classical music and Govind Nihalani, the gifted director of Ardh Satya, Party and Tamas.

*She took her school-books to the sets. That's not surprising, since Ayesha Dharker, 12, is a student at the J.B. Petit School in Bombay. Neither is the fact that talent was spotted young in the daughter of journalist Anil Dharker (ex-Debonair, now Mid-Day) and Purdah-poetess Imtiaz. In her debut, in French director Francois Villiers' Manika, Manika, the Girl who Lived Twice, Dharkar's wide-eyed portrayal of a girl from Kerala who searches for her husband from her previous life has been acclaimed. Says she about the role, which took her to Sri Lanka and Nepal: "I learnt a lot about reincarnation." And geography, obviously.

Dharker: born again

*They make an intense duo. Kishori Amonkar, the tempestuous high priestess of Indian classical music and Govind Nihalani, the gifted director of Ardh Satya, Party and Tamas. They are pooling their formidable talents for Nihalani's latest film Drishti. Nihalani staged a coup of classic dimensions by persuading Amonkar to sing for the film. As a bonus, she agreed to compose the music too. He had sent her the script and it struck a chord. "The script was very beautiful and suited my musical aptitudes," she says. Amonkar has sung for films earlier but it needed a Nihalani to draw her out of her reclusive cocoon. A true believer, Nihalani says: "When you have Kishori singing, you cannot have somebody else directing the music." Her haunting alaaps will form the background music of the film. And that's no half truth. That should set the cash registers singing.

Amonkar: making music

*It promises to be cricket's dream team spearheaded by Pakistan's Imran Khan, 36. His team-mates: Sunil Gavaskar, Ian Chappell, Chris Cowdrey, Michael Holding, John Wright and A.R. Boukhatir. Boukhatir who? What's the Sharjah sheikh who started the Asia Cup doing in Imran's team? He's there in an advisory capacity, just like the others. Because Imran's latest venture is not a match but a magazine. And with so many vintage Wisdeners involved, Cricket Life International should really send the bails flying. Launched by the London-based publishers of South magazine, Cricket Life promises to ponder on the news events, the politics, the business and the technology of cricket. "I am excited about the prospect of starting Cricket Life, comments Imran in the opening (July) issue. So are the, fans of the Sultan of Swing (bowling).

Imran: new test

*He can fight like Jackie Chan and emote like a thespian. Life is a song for Silambarasan, diminutive star of the latest Tamil potboiler - Samsaram Oru Sangeetham. After the stupendous success of Samsaram, Silambu, a miniature version of southern star Rajnikant, is currently hogging the limelight in a Tamil mythological, in which he plays five separate roles. Not bad for a six-year-old studying in the 1st Standard at Don Bosco School in Madras. But it must be a l'il embarrassin' for Silambarasan to return to pinafore-wearing friends after playing wonder kid on screen."School is a bore," he sulks. No kidding.

Silambarasan: small star

*Like a latter-day Dick Whittington she came to London 15 years ago - after Idi Amin expelled the Asians from Uganda. Today, Lata Patel, 33, is deputy mayor for the London borough of Brent. The first Asian woman, and the youngest ever to hold this office, Patel was elected deputy mayor barely three years after becoming a councillor. She regards her election as "a matter of pride for Indians". Married to a fellow Gujarati who owns a chain of petrol stations in England, Patel passionately believes in decent housing, education, and free health care for all her constituents "irrespective of the colour of their skin". As for those who object to her secular views, it's no skin off her nose.